Ford Transit Durability Test Prepares it for 10 Years of Hard
Work!

June 18, 2014; Ford subjects the all-new Transit to its most intensive testing regime
to simulate the toughest possible 10-year working life in just six months
Prototypes cover the equivalent of 11 million kilometres – 275
round-the-world trips – with customers, on proving grounds, and
across four continents in temperatures of +40 to -40 deg C Testing includes
corrosive salt- and mud-baths, non-stop driving for two months at top
speed, and continuous figure-of-eight manoeuvres for a month Comprehensive
testing leads to more than 100 product improvements

LOMMEL, Belgium, June 18, 2014 – Ford has ensured that the all-new
Transit will survive 10 years of the toughest treatment by using an
especially punishing accelerated ageing process as part of its
development.

Durability tests included the equivalent of driving 11 million
kilometres – or 275 round-the-world trips – at state-of-the-art
proving grounds and in extreme conditions across the globe where
temperatures ranged from +40 to -40 deg C.

“I don’t think many customers would believe what this
vehicle has been through,” said David Gregory, Transit chief
programme engineer, Ford of Europe. “We inflict the worst possible
treatment that a van could endure, and we’re only satisfied when our
new vehicle comes through with flying colours – just as the Transit
has done.”

As the first Transit to be sold in both Europe and North America, the
all-new model was subjected to this testing both at Ford’s facilities
in Lommel, Belgium, and in Romeo, Michigan.

At Lommel, the all-new Transit, including van, chassis cab and minibus
versions, was put through more than 30 punishing vehicle tests. These
included the trailer tow general durability test, conducted at maximum
weight with a fully loaded trailer and being driven at top speed non-stop
for two months, pounding over rough gravel roads, and through salt- and
mud-baths. The prototypes also were tested for corrosion resistance in
high-humidity chambers for 12 weeks and put through non-stop
figure-of-eight manoeuvres for one month.

Engineers have driven the all-new Transit more than 5,000 times over an
extreme course of potholes and bumps, and conducted a strength test by
driving it at 60 km/h (37 mph) into a 14 cm high kerb.

Ford also tested the Transit prototypes from the Austrian Alps to Death
Valley: in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Vehicles faced the 40
deg C heat of Arizona, Dubai and South Africa, the bitter -40 deg C cold in
Finland and Canada, as well as challenging journeys through Europe, the
Middle East, Russia, Turkey and the U.S.

Prior to launch, the new model covered more than 300,000 miles of tough
real-world use with high-mileage Transit customers. In the test labs, the
all-new Transit’s 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine was subjected to
46 days of continuous high-load urban driving on specialised rigs, as part
of tens of thousands of hours of engine testing. Component test rigs were
used to simulate real-world punishment, replicating the full 10-year
vehicle lifecycle in just 30 days.

Ford has made more than 100 significant improvements to the Transit as a
direct result of its testing regime including the redesign of the side rail
on jumbo van models, and strengthening of the rear cross-member on chassis
cabs.

“Pushing the van to the limit and beyond helps us to deliver a
stronger, more robust product. This translates directly into every-day
reliability for the customer, however tough their working
environment,” Gregory added.

The all-new two-tonne Transit is the flagship of the completely
redesigned and expanded Ford Transit range, and is now on sale in the UK
and across Europe alongside the Transit Custom, Transit Connect and Transit
Courier models.